Does anyone have any tips for live imaging echinoderm larvae? Using low melt agarose has resulted in various success rates for me. They either dry up and shrink, the agar solidifies too quickly before I can attempt to adjust the larva's position in the agar, or the larvae die.
When it comes to photographing echinoderm larvae and / or filming them on video. You don't have to do anything. The preparation can be prepared on a glass slide with a drop of seawater. And study under a microscope and take photographs. If the larva is to be killed and then examined. It is possible to recommend (so that it does not immediately shrink) to gradually convert to alcohols from a low concentration of 30% to 70% higher is not necessary. It is better to add saline to alcohol of the appropriate concentration.
If you need to make a permanent drug, then you can recommend to conclude it in celluloid. There are specialists for creating liquid celluloid on the Internet.
Regards, Sergey Viktorovich Pushkin
Perhaps with the help of an invert confocal microscope you could use the petri dish with the larva and take pictures directly. Another possible way is, with the advice of Sergey, of freeze the larva and use a cryo-technique as we do with mites. I am sure either way you will find some very interesting things.
Hi Andrew, did you figure it out? What stages are you trying to image and for how long?
Low melt agarose is tricky, it will take practice to achieve results. Here are a few tips from repeated experience with zebrafish larvae. We put the melted agarose into 1.5 mL Eppendorf tubes, these harden and can be stored in the fridge. On the day of the experiment boil a few tubes (use a boil-proof cap or a separate clip to secure lid when boiling), then transfer to 38-40C heat block. Allow time to cool. Pick up the larvae in a glass pipette with
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Phytochemistry
- Extracts